Hiatus
by jethro10
Summary: Gibbs is left injured in a bomb blast and Holly Gibbs is left to stay with her best friend Matt Haycroft and her family. But while Matt and Holly try to get back into routine after Gibbs' injury, someone is determined to hurt Gibbs by killing the one thing he holds dear to him... Rated T for violence but not gory.
1. Chapter 1

**Hiatus**

**I am going on holiday in tomorrow so I will not finish the story before I leave.**

Holly and Matt were having a sleepover while Gibbs worked an important case. They sat in Matt's playhouse while dinner was cooking.

"You like Peter, don't deny it," teased Holly to her friend who was going gradually red faced.

"Well you like Darren!" retorted Matt.

"Do not!" Holly screamed, battering Matt over the head with a pillow. Matt fell off the crate she was sat on and stood back up, surprised.

NCIS

The doorbell rang as Rosie Haycroft was getting the pizza out of the oven. She dashed to the door, looking comical in her oven gloves and apron reading _Super Chef!_ She answered the door and saw a red headed woman dressed in a smart looking dress.

"Director Shepard, I didn't expect to see you here, is everything alright?" asked Rosie.

NCIS

"They're just down here," Rosie directed them to the playhouse and heard screaming and laughing. She opened the door and saw Matt and Holly struggling.

"I certainly don't remember doing that when I was young," remarked Jenny.

"Jenny, hi," muttered Holly. "Is this about that pen I took because I…" she saw the look on Jenny's face and knew that something was up.

"Holly your father is in hospital, he was injured in an explosion," replied Jenny. "I'm ever so sorry Holly."

"Rule Six," whimpered Holly. "Is he going to be alright?"

"I don't know Holly, he's being treated now," Jenny said.

"Can I see him?" Holly asked.

"No, I'm sorry, he's too badly injured," Jenny sighed. Holly was too sad to correct her breach of Rule Six.

"Who's going to look after me while my daddy's in hospital?" Holly questioned.

"We will, if that's okay with you Director Shepard?" Rosie said.

"That is fine," Jenny said, walking back down the garden.

"I can't believe someone would do that," Matt said, summarising what the rest of them were thinking.

NCIS

Captain Todd Gelfand saw the patient come in and was shocked. It was Leroy Jethro Gibbs who had had a child with Miranda Lawson, the head doctor before him. The man had been through so much over the years, first the losses of his wife and daughter, whom he knew as Shannon and Kelly, then the loss of Miranda, who had died in the South Tower when the conference room was hit by a plane. He prayed that Gibbs would be okay, both for the sake of him and his young daughter Holly.

**That was fun, I hope you liked it.**

**Next I am going to write a separate fanfiction for the deaths of Shannon and Kelly.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hiatus **

**Just got back from Italy. Ready to do my next chapter.**

Holly had not been allowed to see her father yet and as with four year old girls, presumed the worst. She lay curled up on the Haycroft family sofa. Matt sat in front of her, eyes glued to the latest episode of Doctor Who. Rosie had brought in a tray of biscuits but Holly wasn't really interested in either them or the TV.

"Come on Holly! The Dalek just went into the room full of soldiers, it's bound to be good," encouraged Matt.

"I can't! I just am too scared!" Holly complained.

"Doctor Who isn't scary though!" Matt said in outrage.

"Not that stupid! My dad!" groaned Holly, head slapping Matt for good measure.

"Hey! You can't do that!" Matt yelled.

"Just did," Holly grinned as Matt hit her in the temple with a cushion. "No fair!"

NCIS

Joyce Cross was an assassin, she had been paid a large amount of money for a job that was simple. Killing a pre-schooler was literally child's play.

Inside the house she glimpsed two girls mock fighting each other. The red head was Holly, the girl she'd been assigned to kill. When she asked the woman paying her, she said:

"Her father has committed a great wrong against my family, now I shall commit a great wrong against his family."

Something in her told her it was wrong to kill a girl who would be five in just a week. The youngest she'd killed before was a ten year old Mexican boy who'd seen a drug deal gone wrong.

Conscience told her it was wrong but two hundred and fifty thousand dollars told her it was right. She had been warned by the woman paying her that if she went to the cops, she would be found in the Potomac with unspeakable things done to her.

The woman had said that the blonde girl with Holly was named Matt. Her orders with Matt were simple; kill her if she sees too much.

Before vanishing, the woman had revealed her name to be Sofia Hernandez but if the cops were looking for her they'd call her Sophie Flanders. She'd made one thing clear: she couldn't care less about her own fate as long as Holly died. The damage was done.

**Chapter 2 over and done. For Doctor Who fans the episode is named **_**Dalek **_**from Christopher Eccelston: and many fans watch Doctor Who from under the age of three.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hiatus**

It was the girls last month at playgroup before they started Kindergarten so they didn't want to miss out.

Rosie took them in the first morning after the incident where they were met by the new playgroup manager, Deanna Davis.

"Holly, I heard about what happened and I'm dreadfully sorry," Davis said.

"Thank you Miss Davis," said Holly politely.

"The boys are outside playing baseball and the girls are…" Davis saw Matt's eyes light up as she dashed towards the door.

"I'll referee," Holly said.

Davis had only been there for five months but she'd already understood that Matt preferred soccer and baseball than playing with Barbie's and Holly was a great referee.

NCIS

Outside, Matt was arguing with Steven Wheeler.

"You can't play, you're a girl," he protested.

"Bet I could hit harder than you," Matt pointed out. She snatched the baseball bat from his hand and walked over to the post. The pitcher, Darren Blake, son to another NCIS agent, threw the ball in an effort to get her out. She swung the bat and the ball spun across the field, only a foot off the ground but fast enough that none of the boys could catch it.

"Beginners luck," snorted Wheeler. Matt spun around and hit him hard on the nose. "Okay you can play! Don't hurt me!"

The five year old girl laughed at him as the boys split into teams. Both Deanna and Holly had seen this but while it was against the rules, Deanna did not want to have to phone his father and tell him what had happened.

"Holly! Come over here!" it was another girl from their class who sat in the mini bleachers braiding a doll's hair.

Tabatha White was the daughter of Daniel White, a Hollywood film director. She had long brown hair with neon pink highlights which made her look gangster even though she had been going for Barbie.

"Hi Tabby," said Holly brightly, sitting down next to her.

"This is my doll Selena," Tabby said. "My daddy got her from Hollywood."

"I didn't bring my dolls, they're at my daddy's house," Holly lowered her head.

"Where's your daddy?" Tabby asked, oblivious to how sensitive a question it was.

"He's in hospital! He might die!" wailed Holly.

"Do you want to borrow my dolly?" Tabby asked. She looked back to the game and saw that it was Wheeler's turn to bat.

Darren bowled and Wheeler hit the ball as hard as he could. It flew across the ballpark into Matt's glove.

"You suck at baseball Steve!" teased Matt, holding the ball in the air tauntingly. Steven looked disappointed as the teams swapped over.

The youngsters had decided on a game of baseball that lasted all day and at lunchtime, Miss Davis brought out a trolley of sandwiches.

Tabby and Holly sat in the bleachers, Tabby was now playing with her doll's hair while talking to Holly.

"What about your mommy?" asked Tabby.

"She died when I was a baby," replied Holly. "I don't remember her but I've seen photos of her. I remember Grandpa Charlie but he died too. My daddy doesn't have any family so I'd have to go to a child's home."

NCIS

Across the street, Joyce Cross watched them. She had found out that they were going on a trip to the park the next day. That's where she planned to make her move. On the inside she felt pity but she had a job to do and that came first.

**Of my whole Holly series so far. Matt is defiantly my favourite character, she is based largely around my little sister who was hitting balls across fields and punching boys on the nose from that age as well.**

**Up next: **Cross makes her move at Rock Creek Park, but what will happen?


	4. Chapter 4

**Hiatus**

Holly loved field trips, when she could get out of the stuffy playgroup and explore the world. Matt was her field trip buddy, she was dressed for the sun in a baseball cap, a pair of baseball shorts and a baseball shirt.

"You like baseball don't you?" remarked Holly.

"Well done," smiled Matt. She looked at Holly's summer dress and sunhat. "You like summer don't you. Guess what Ziva gave me for my birthday! These cool sunglasses. When she and Tony were on that mission she used them to see people spying on her."

"Cool, can I try them on?" asked Holly.

"Get your own!" retorted Matt. "But we can play secret agents at recess."

"Cool," said Holly.

"But first I'll see if anyone's spying on us," said Matt, putting on her sunglasses. She took them off a minute later, almost disappointed. "No one."

At recess they all dumped their bags at a tree before running off to play games with each other. The boys played a huge game of tag with each other while the girls skipped. Matt and Holly ran around behind trees, baring sticks that vaguely resembled guns.

"I'll check to see if we're being watched," said Matt, putting on her sunglasses.

"Are we being watched Agent David?" teased Holly. Matt turned to her and slowly nodded.

"Which terrorist group is it?" Holly continued.

"No Holly, I mean it, we _really_ are being watched," Matt said.

"You're joking," said Holly, thinking or more accurately hoping it was another Matt wind up.

"Man and a woman, park bench," Matt said. Holly glanced around and saw them.

"Oh my God!" she muttered. "We're being watched." Holly began to go into a panic at which point Matt put a hand over her mouth.

"Don't panic," she murmured. She looked back around and with horror, only the woman was sat there now. "Where's the man?"

"Matt," Holly whimpered.

"Yeah," was Matt's reply.

"I found the man," Holly said. He was stood over Holly menacingly. Matt bent down, pretending she was going to her knees when in fact she'd spotted a stone. She picked it up and hurled it at the man. It bounced off his head and he fell back, stunned.

Matt grabbed Holly by the wrist, dashing across the park.

"Miss Davis!" she yelled. "Call 9-1-1!" She screamed but the woman was blocking her path and grabbed her by the shirt.

"Got them!" she yelled triumphantly.

NCIS

Tony was just getting used to being Team Leader when Jenny came over to inform the team that Gibbs had woken up.

"He has amnesia, he didn't remember Ducky," said Jenny. "But I'm sure it's only temporary."

Tony was about to dash after Jenny but his phone rang before he could.

"Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo," he said.

"Tony, it's Miss Davis," said Davis. "Holly and Matt are gone."

"Are you sure they're not just hiding?" asked DiNozzo, a wave of dread rushing over him.

"Matt told me to call 9-1-1, then she screamed," said Davis. "Put out an Amber Alert for both of them."

Tony hung up but there were only two words in his mind: _Oh Shit_.

**Holly and Matt kidnapped and Gibbs has woken up…**

**Up Next: **save Matt and Holly!


	5. Chapter 5

**Hiatus**

It was a dark room, Holly and Matt were tied together back to back. The room was circular and clean but they were too focused on surviving to care. It was ice cold in temperature and as both girls were in summer gear it was made even colder.

About an hour after they were kidnapped, the door to the room was opened and the man, with an ugly bruise on his head, entered. He cut open Matt's bonds before dragging both girls along a narrow corridor.

"What's going on?" Matt asked bravely.

"The boss wants to see you," the man replied. He led them into a larger room where there were two large dart boards which appeared to be spinning.

"I am Joyce," the woman said. "I am an assassin. You are going to die. Well, Holly is anyway. I had a call from a woman earlier, she said she had a use for a young girl. Thurmon, tie Miss Gibbs to the board. We're going to play darts."

NCIS

"Come on Tony, are you certain that this will work?" asked Jenny, eyeing him slowly as he lay a paper down on her desk.

"Director, we don't have any other choice at the moment," Tony said.

"I suppose not," replied Jenny. "Bring them back. And fast."

NCIS

Holly quickly understood how darts worked. Thurmon threw knives at her as she spun. If one hit, a point to him, if it missed, a point to Matt. The first knife skimmed her shoulder.

"One point to me!" Thurmon growled. He threw another that missed completely. Holly failed to see the point of this game other than the likelihood of the dart board with her corpse attached being discovered in a river. The third knife hit her in the shoulder, she screamed in pain and began sobbing.

Joyce walked out of the office with a smug smile on her face. "She's on her way. You have a nice future ahead of you Matt." She picked up a knife and threw it expertly. It hit Holly in the ankle. She gestured at a pile of bullet proof vests and pulled one on under her outfit.

"Just in case," replied Joyce.

There was a pounding at the door. Joyce walked across to open it.

"Pleasure you could make it," Joyce said.

"The pleasure is all mine," Ziva David emerged from the doorway. "I am Ziva, Mossad could use someone like you." She had turned her attention to Matt who was desperately trying to keep a sad face.

"Ziva, nice name," Matt murmured.

"There is the matter of the money," Joyce said, turning her back. In an instant Ziva's gun was at her head.

"Release Holly," she ordered.

"NCIS!" McGee yelled, first through the door. Matt moved over as Thurmon drew a gun.

"Oh God," Thurmon fired twice in McGee's direction. McGee fired one shot back, striking Thurmon in the chest but as he fell, his gun went off and a bullet hurtled at Matt striking her shirt and sending her sprawling.

"Matt!" Tony, Ziva, McGee and Holly screamed. Joyce lunged for her gun, aiming at DiNozzo. She fired and he went down. McGee fired again and a red hole appeared in Joyce's forehead. She toppled back, lifeless.

Holly gasped at Matt who lay sprawled by the dart board. Ziva and Tony ran over but they'd both seen the bullet hit her, she couldn't be alive.

**So, next chapter will probably be last and it'll be Gibbs taking Holly to Mexico to meet Mike Franks.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hiatus**

A wave of shock had overcome Holly as she saw Ziva approach Matt.

Carefully, Ziva lifted Matt's shirt and began sobbing with relief. One of Joyce's gigantic vests was loosely strapped around her chest and Ziva could clearly see the bullet embedded in it.

"Ziva," groaned Matt. "Is Holly okay?"

"Matt!" Holly said, dashing over to her friend. "We thought you were dead!"

"Holly I had the vest on since Thurmon threw the first knife," she groaned loudly.

"I didn't see you," Holly said.

"You weren't meant to, dummy," said Matt. "I put on in case they decided to shoot me so I could get to NCIS somehow."

"Well, you're alive and that's what counts," McGee said. "Although massive failure on my part; shouldn't have shot him so quickly."

"We have news of your father, Holly," Tony said. "He's awake but he's lost his memory."

"Will I see him again?" asked Holly bewildered.

"Hopefully," McGee turned around. "Where's Ziva?"

NCIS

Holly and Matt were playing a game on McGee's Elf Lord Account. There was a gasp as the Elf Lord accidently shot the girl McGee had been flirting with.

"Hey McGee," Matt said. "You know Petal?"

"You didn't?" McGee said in horror.

"Serves you right for playing those games McLoser," Tony yelled. Just then the elevator opened and Gibbs entered, looking beaten up but like himself.

"Daddy!" yelled Holly running over.

"Ah Holly, I've missed you," muttered Gibbs. "Matt! How's baseball going?" He got double thumbs up from her as she smiled at McGee who was trying to apologise to Petal over shooting her. He greeted the rest of the team before storming up to MTAC.

"Matt! I can't believe you did that!" McGee yelled.

"Take it easy on her Probie-hearts, you'll get the girl someday," Tony said. "In fact we really should be weaning you off these queer games."

"Great, Sarah just emailed me," sighed McGee opening it.

_Tim how could you! Mom and Dad told me to set up that account to make sure you _

_were being safe online! You idiot!_

_Sarah._

"Looks like Petal was Little Miss McGee," winked Tony as Matt and Ziva burst out laughing.

"It's not funny Tony," McGee blushed bright red.

"Holly we're leaving," Gibbs had come down the stairs. The whole room went silent as he said goodbye to the team.

"Where are we going daddy?" Holly asked.

"To Mexico, you remember I told you about Mike Franks?" Gibbs said as he, Holly and Ducky got in the elevator.

Holly looked over the bullpen. Jenny was on the stairs while Tony, Ziva, Abby, McGee and Matt were looking at them sadly.

"Bye Holly," said Matt.

"Bye Matt," replied Holly as the doors closed.

**I was never going to kill Matt. She's too young.**

**Next up. The Return.**


End file.
